zippy@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Patrick Tufts) (10/06/90)
The NeXT cube does all the Postscript processing, sending a bitmap to the printer. Why, then, does NeXT say that only 3rd party _postscript_ printers will work? Is there a way to just strap any ol' laser printer onto the NeXT? --Pat -- This .sig space for rent.
glenn@heaven.woodside.ca.us (Glenn Reid) (10/08/90)
In article <1990Oct06.054201.5091@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu> zippy@chaos.cs.brandeis.edu (Patrick Tufts) writes: >The NeXT cube does all the Postscript processing, sending a bitmap to >the printer. Why, then, does NeXT say that only 3rd party >_postscript_ printers will work? This means "_postscript_" printers as opposed to, say, HPGL, or some other printer control language. You don't hook up third party printers to the printer port, you hook them up to the serial port, and the print spooling software sends the PostScript code to the printer, not bits. Given that the NeXT printer is 400dpi, it would not be very helpful to hook up a 300dpi printer to the printer port. If you use a third-party PostScript laser printer, none of the PS processing is done on the NeXT, which also has the side effect that the NeXT window server does not slow down when you are printing, which it does if you drive the NeXT printer. Glenn -- Glenn Reid RightBrain Software glenn@heaven.woodside.ca.us PostScript/NeXT developers ..{adobe,next}!heaven!glenn 415-851-1785